Peptide Payment Processing.
Card Acceptance That Stays Live.
Stripe, PayPal and Shopify Payments restrict peptides at category level. That means your store can be clean and still get shut down. We place peptide merchants with specialist PSPs that accept the category. Free to you. We're paid by the PSP.
Can you get a merchant account to sell peptides? Yes, but not from mainstream processors. Stripe, PayPal and Shopify Payments treat peptides as restricted or prohibited. Specialist high-risk PSPs will underwrite peptide merchants that hold independent Certificates of Analysis, keep consistent research-use-only positioning and run clean policies. ICPay matches you to those PSPs for free.
Last updated 15 October 2026
Why peptide merchants keep getting shut down
The restriction sits at category level, not conduct level. You can do everything right and still be declined, or approved and then closed weeks later when a risk review catches up with your MCC.
- Approved on Shopify Payments or Stripe, then closed after the first risk review
- Funds held for months while the account is wound down
- One health claim on a blog post or email undoing your research-use-only positioning
- Generic high-risk PSPs that approve you, then raise reserves without warning
What a PSP will check before approving you
Have these ready before introduction. It's the single biggest factor in how fast you go live.
Independent Certificates of Analysis
Batch numbers, test dates and purity figures from a third-party lab. Missing COAs are one of the most common reasons peptide accounts get flagged.
Consistent positioning across the whole site
Underwriters read product pages, blog posts, FAQs and emails. No health claims, dosing guidance or human-use language anywhere.
Research-use-only notices
On product pages, category pages, the footer and the homepage. A single disclaimer line is not enough.
Age gate and checkout acknowledgement
Not always a legal requirement. Its absence shows up in risk assessments.
Clear policies
Refund, shipping, privacy and terms pages. Vague refund terms are a basic risk flag.
Company and director KYB
Certificate of incorporation, passports and proof of address for directors and UBOs, 3 to 6 months of bank statements.
What peptide merchants typically pay
No PSP will quote before underwriting. Here's what to expect, so you can spot a bad offer.
| Term | Typical range | What moves it |
|---|---|---|
| Card processing rate | Commonly 3% to 6% per transaction | Volume, ticket size and dispute history move this most. |
| Rolling reserve | Commonly 5% to 10%, held 90 to 180 days | Negotiable. Clean processing history is the fastest way to reduce it. |
| Chargeback ceiling | Visa: 1.5% (VAMP, from April 2026). Mastercard: 1.5% and 100+ chargebacks a month (ECM). | PSPs usually act before you hit these. Many intervene around 1%. |
| Time to live | Introduction within 48 hours. Onboarding typically 5 to 10 business days. | Complete documents on day one is the biggest time saver. |
Indicative market ranges from published industry sources, not a quote. Your terms depend on volume, history, chargeback ratio and jurisdiction.
How ICPay places peptide merchants
Applying direct vs going through ICPay
| Applying direct | Through ICPay | |
|---|---|---|
| Which PSPs | ✕ Whoever ranks on Google | ✓ PSPs that already accept peptide merchants |
| PSPs that don't take direct applications | ✕ No access | ✓ Included |
| Underwriting | ✕ Generic queue, no context | ✓ Briefed before the first call |
| If the first PSP says no | ✕ Start again | ✓ Alternatives ready |
| Cost to you | Your time | ✓ £0. We're paid by the PSP |
Peptide payment processing: FAQs
Why does Stripe ban peptide sellers?
Stripe and Shopify Payments operate under card scheme rules and their own risk appetite. Peptides are classified as restricted or prohibited at category level, so even a well-run, well-documented store can be declined or closed.
Can I sell peptides on Shopify without Shopify Payments?
Yes. Shopify lets you connect a third-party payment gateway. The PSP behind that gateway must explicitly accept peptides. ICPay matches you to one that does.
What documents do peptide PSPs ask for?
Expect independent Certificates of Analysis per batch, your full product list, screenshots of your checkout and policies, company registration documents, director passports and proof of address, and 3 to 6 months of bank or processing statements.
How much does ICPay charge peptide merchants?
Nothing. ICPay is paid a commission by the PSP after a successful introduction. There is no upfront fee, retainer or volume fee.
How fast can I be processing again?
We make introductions within 48 hours. PSP onboarding typically takes 5 to 10 business days, faster if your COAs and KYB documents are ready on day one.
Get matched with a PSP that accepts peptide merchants
Six fields. No documents yet. We review your details and come back within 48 hours with next steps.
Other verticals we place
Already lost your processor? Read what to do in the first 48 hours.
Read the guideSources: Fena: How to sell research peptides on Shopify UK (2026) · Merchant Cost Consulting: Rolling reserves explained